August 8th, 2008 the Mad Scientist
The b16a1 ROCKS.
The b16a1 is the holy grail of CRX motors. It boasts true vtec, aggressive dual overhead cams, a high safe redline, a lsd-equipped close-ratio cable-driven transmission, and a very tuneable ecu. It really is as nice a fit for the CRX as Honda ever made.
All b16 motors are good choices because of the aftermarket available and the near-perfect rod/stroke ratio, but the b16a1 is particularly suited to the ED chassis (88-91 CRX and Civics) because it’s obd0 and uses a cable transmission. If it came from a CRX SiR, the transmission will be LSD-equipped. If it’s from an Integra XSi, it will come without an LSD.
However, there are downsides.
Because the b16a1 was only available in Japan, and was only produced in the CRX and Civic SiR, getting one requires contacting an importer (who will generally buy one from a running car because of modern Japanese smog restrictions). You will not know any of the history of the motor, but if the shop is worth spending time on, they will offer a full test run on the engine (dyno run and leakdown test) to ensure that it’s in working condition.
The other problem that arises is finding replacement parts. The B family of Honda motors benefits from a large aftermarket parts availability, but stock parts are difficult to find because they need to be imported directly.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the b16a1 is a great choice to put in the CRX. As long as you find a reputable dealer that offers a “complete swap” (axles, ecu, wiring harness, intake manifold, throttle body, exhaust manifold, etc) and the motor and transmission are both in good repair, expect to spend roughly $3,000 USD on this swap, assuming you will be installing it yourself.
More Info
That’s just the beginning. There is a wealth of information available for the b16 series. Here’s a good start for your hunt for more:
Posted in Choose a CRX Engine, Monthly Specials | 1 Comment »
August 7th, 2008 the Mad Scientist
The LS engine is the least expensive way to break into the performance-oriented b-series engine family. The b18a1 was produced from 1990 and 1991 in an obd0 model and 1992 to 1993 in obd1, then the b18b1 was produced from 1994 to 2001 as an obd2 engine. All models were available on the USDM market, and continue to be readily available in salvage yards. Any Acura Integra RS, LS, or GS will come equipped with an LS motor in one form or another.
The LS gained its name for being the only b-series engine to come without vtec from the factory, but LS/VTEC hybrids have enjoyed some popularity since their inception.
Installing an LS motor into a CRX engine bay is the simplest of b-series swaps, as it requires minimal wiring modifications (especially if using an obd0 model). My full b18a1 writeup is also available on this site.
Posted in Choose a CRX Engine, Monthly Specials | No Comments »
August 6th, 2008 the Mad Scientist
d16z6
d16y8
The d16z6 and d16y8 amount to the same gains. Both are economical single-cam true-vtec engines. Both are common in salvage yards, available in 1992-2000 Civic EX and Si’s, and some models of Del Sol. Power output is roughly 130hp for each model, but a frankenstein of the two is reputed to work best. The d16z6 has a better-flowing head and the d16y8 has a better-flowing intake manifold, so putting the two together on top of any d16 block will yield some power gains.
The most notable difference between the two is the onboard diagnostics. The d16z6 is an obd1 engine, while the d16y8 is an obd2 engine. Both can be converted to obd0 easily enough, or your wiring harness can be converted to obd1 (obd2 is not recommended for engine tuning other than specific applications). During the wiring harness conversion, the vtec solenoid should be wired into the ECU (automatic ECUs are particularly useful for this modification).
Availability of parts and relative ease of engine installation make both these engines excellent candidates for any CRX.
Posted in Choose a CRX Engine, Monthly Specials | No Comments »
August 5th, 2008 the Mad Scientist
The ZC is a smal but venerable 1.6l engine that shares motor mounts with all other d-series engines. It is also obd0, making it a simple plug-and-play swap from a previous MPFI engine. If you have a stock CRX DX, you’ll need to convert the wiring harness to MPFI and use the ZC ecu.
The ZC is one of the most difficult Honda engines to identify, so the folks over at jdmcars put together this pdf: zc_identification for your reference. Power output is generally ~130hp, and is a very strong candidate for boost.
For further information regarding the ZC, read here:
d-series.org
Posted in Choose a CRX Engine, Monthly Specials | No Comments »
August 4th, 2008 the Mad Scientist
Everybody who purchases a CRX seems to ask about which engine is the ‘best’. There are a lot of options, and a lot of different directions to go over, so this week is centered around helping you decide which option will be the best for you.
d16ZC
On Tuesday we’ll go over the venerable dohc d16zc. This is essentially the USDM CRX Si engine’s dual overhead cam cousin.
d16z6 and d16y8
Wednesday is dedicated to the nearly-twin d16z6 or d16y8 engines. They are readily available sohc engines that come with vtec, which makes installation more difficult but gives the advantage of improved gas mileage as well as top-end power.
b18a1 and b18b
Thursday is dedicated to the Integra LS engine. It’s an inexpensive, readily-available engine that breaks the b-series barrier without breaking the bank.
b16a
Friday will cover the business-only b16a1. This is a b-series dohc vtec engine that came in the CRX Si-R in Japan, but never made an appearance on the USDM market.
There are obviously other swaps available, but these are the most common and most logical engines to install in a CRX. Here are some other options, but if you’re here looking for advice on which swap to consider, you’re probably not ready to tackle one of these projects:
- h22a1 (prelude, dohc vtec)
- k20 or k24 (modern l4, often considered the “ultimate” CRX swap)
- b18c1 (Integra GSR, a stroked b16)
- b18c5 (Integra Type R, a tuned b18c1)
- LS/Vtec (LS block with a b16 or b18c* head)
- minime (non-vtec d-series block with a vtec d-series head)
- v8 (yes, it’s been done several ways)
So, what’s your take?
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Posted in Choose a CRX Engine, Monthly Specials | 2 Comments »
February 27th, 2008 the Mad Scientist
Don’t let tuning carbs scare you away from the 1st-gen CRX! The Si may be fuel injected, but you probably won’t end up with an Si. Essentially, it breaks down to 3 options:
Tune the stock carb
While this may seem like a no-brainer, many people miss this as an option. Starting with a rebuild and a thorough cleaning, then go a little more hardcore with a devac job.
This may come as a surprise, but car carbs really don’t have much good documentation. While the very popular carbs like Edelbrock or the Holley 4160 seem to have the design behind every bolt documented publically, you won’t have either on your stock CRX. For documentation purposes, DansMC has the basics of carbs covered completely on his site and Anassa was kind enough to post his devac job on RPR. All the same principles apply, no matter which carb you’re using.
Get a better carb
I often research the methods of the old-school tuners (we call them hot rodders now). There was a movement, for a time, when putting dinky little motorcycle carbs on their engines instead of one big carb. There are advantages and disadvantages to this, but essentially you’re treating your engine like a motorcycle engine. You won’t get the scary 1600rpm redline that motorcycles enjoy, but you also don’t have to deal with a wet clutch in a 1-ton vehicle exploding in your lap.
Look into the flow rates on the older (pre-fuel injection) CBR-1000 or GSXR-1100 or even the Hayabusa. If the flow rates match up, and you can figure out how to attach it to your intake manifold (hint: zip ties just won’t cut it here) you’ll have the advantage of easy re-jetting, well-documented tuning, and overall simplicity. The other advantage is that the more carbs you distribute your air through, the more accurately you can tune the fuel flow into that air, and the better your car will run (after you tune and sync, of course).
Inject Fuel
You don’t have to stick with that carb. Replacing your fuel tank, lines, ecu, and intake manifold with an Si model’s will effectively set you up for fuel injection. From there, tuning becomes more ’straightforward’ (actually, carbs are quite a bit easier to work with, but in this society having a computer do the work for you is a bonus) and you can move up to you crazy dreams of a powerful 1st-gen with a stock motor.
Posted in 1st gen CRX week | No Comments »
